


Talking

by writeitininkorinblood



Series: Studying [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Coming Out, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 08:10:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9429050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeitininkorinblood/pseuds/writeitininkorinblood
Summary: Ginny is pretty determined that Harry talk to his son about his relationship. Harry is less convinced but Ginny is in charge so here he was, sat on the edge of Albus' bed and trying to make an awkward conversation as non-awkward as possible.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote about Draco talking to Scorpius, so have Harry talking to Albus to go with it. Sequel to Studying, but it makes sense as a stand alone fic too.

“So,” Harry began, sitting on the edge of Albus’ bed and rubbing his hands together, clearly uncomfortable.

It had been two days since Ginny had found their youngest son kissing his best friend in his bedroom and now Scorpius had gone home it was time to address the matter at hand. She’d broken the news to Harry carefully, after a glass of wine and what she was pretty sure had been a stress-free day at the Ministry, or as stress-free as his days could get. It hadn’t gone too badly until she’d mentioned that someone should give Albus the talk, and that that someone should really be his father. Harry had been certain that he wasn’t the right person for the job but Ginny wasn’t having any of it so here he was.

“Dad, don’t make this awkward. Please,” Albus groaned, not wanting to have to sit through this. It was obvious what was coming. He pushed his books aside and pulled some parchment towards him to scribble an essay title at the top, hoping that looking busy would make his father go away.  
“You’re dating Scorpius?” Harry asked, bluntly. He already knew the answer from Ginny, but it seemed sensible to get Albus’ clarification on the issue.

Part of Harry was hoping that Albus would say no, that this was all a big misunderstanding and he didn’t have to try and explain something to his son that he knew nothing about, all the while trying to pretend that the idea of him dating a Malfoy wasn’t just a little strange. But he couldn’t change what was true and he was determined to be okay with it. He _was_ okay with it.

“Maybe,” Albus mumbled, uncomfortable. But that wasn’t quite true and the almost-lie tasted bitter on his tongue. He wasn’t ashamed of Scorpius. Or of himself. “Okay, yes. I am. Is that a problem?” he asked, trying not to let his hands tremble.

Harry’s face fell. He quickly forced a smile on his face so Albus wouldn’t think his sudden change in temperament from awkward to heartbroken was because of his relationship with Scorpius.  
“Albus… Why would that be a problem?” he said, unsure how else to continue. He could hardly launch into the talk when Albus was doubting his support.

Shrugging, Albus tried to decide where to start. There seemed to be so many reasons his father could be disappointed in him and he wasn’t quite sure which should take precedence. His sexuality wasn’t going to be good for the family when the press found out, he knew they could be vicious. But Scorpius… He was pretty sure his dad would never be okay knowing that he called a Malfoy home. Because he did, and probably always would.  
“Because I’m gay? Because of who Scorpius is? Because I finally thought I had the ‘not being a terrible son’ thing down and now I’ve ruined it again?” Albus asked, hating that he had such a long list of reasons his father might think him a disappointment.

He didn’t like the inherent relationship that he felt existed between being gay and being a terrible son, and he didn’t want to believe it. He just figured that’s what his dad would see and it made his chest ache. He was trying to be better but this was something he couldn’t change, something he didn’t _want_ to change. If his dad didn’t like it then there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t give up Scorpius, not after everything they’d been through, and even if he could then it would be another boy he chose further down the line. He wouldn’t make himself miserable and lonely forever.

Harry wanted to pull Albus into a hug and tell him that he was perfect the way he was and that he would be protected from the world’s cruelty for as long as Harry was able, but he knew he needed to be subtler when it came to reassuring his son.

“Your mum said you thought I’d be mad…” he sighed. This was his fault; he should have made his acceptance clear when Albus was younger. “I don’t care that you’re- You can date whoever you want, Albus. It’s okay if it’s another boy. And it’s okay if they’re a Malfoy. As long as you’re happy?” he asked tentatively.  
“Yes. I am,” Albus promised, nodding and supressing a grin. This seemed too easy but he wasn’t going to reject a good thing.

Harry couldn’t explain how relieved he felt to have his son admit he was happy. After so many years of distance and anger and conflict it felt good to know Albus was as content as James and Lily had always been.

“Good,” he smiled, giving Albus what he hoped read as a nod of acceptance. But even as he realised how much Albus happiness mattered over anything else, something occurred to him. “Does Draco know about this?”

Draco Malfoy might not still be the child he had been at Hogwarts, but Harry wasn’t sure how willing he would be to accept that his son was dating another boy. When Albus flinched it was clear his worries were well founded.

“No. Not yet. Scorpius is a little afraid,” Albus admitted, knotting his fingers together in his lap. It was something they’d spoken about a lot, telling their parents. Very few of their imagined scenarios ended well.

“Ah. Right. I can understand that,” Harry frowned. “Now if, and I have no reason to believe this will be the case,” somewhat of white lie but it was for the best, “but if Draco isn’t okay then Ginny and I will happily talk to him. You can tell Scorpius that.”

“Thank you,” Albus said, surprised and grateful. He wasn’t sure he wanted that conversation to actually happen because it seemed like something that could go to hell so easily, but it meant a lot that his dad was willing to put himself in what would almost certainly be an uncomfortable situation for Scorpius’ sake.

Harry considered leaving things there and wishing Albus good night, but he’d promised Ginny he’d _talk_ to Albus and if he didn’t she’d only make him do it tomorrow. Best to get it out of the way.

“Now, as much as I wish this were the end of this conversation, your mother thought it would be best if I-” he began.

Albus yelped and shook his head frantically.

“No! If you’re about to say what I think you’re going to say then just stop. I don’t need to hear it,” he begged. He didn’t want to sit there and listen to his father try to tell him about safe gay sex. It sounded like a form of torture, and that was coming from someone who’d actually seen his best friend and now boyfriend tortured in front of him. Not that he’d rather see someone use the Cruciatus curse on Scorpius than get the talk from his dad, but it sounded almost as painful.  
“She thinks-” Harry tried again, less sure.

Albus held up his hand and was surprised when his dad actually stopped to listen.

“Mum means well, I know. But you don’t know anything about… two guys. And neither does she.”

He knew his cheeks were flushed red but he refused to succumb to the crippling embarrassment that was threatening his to swallow him up. Sex was normal, he knew that, and the sex he and Scorpius would be having wasn’t any less normal. Only that concept was far harder to hang on to when he was facing the prospect of having it explained to him by his father. Then it seemed like the least normal and most mortifying thing in the world.

Albus had found exactly the reason why Harry didn’t want to have this conversation. The wizarding world didn’t have many resources on the topic but Ginny had unceremoniously presented Harry with some books from the muggle library not too far away and insisted he at least read the basics so he could talk to Albus like he’d been able to talk to James. So Harry had, and that seemed as good a place to start as any.

“There are some Muggle books, and-” he tried, but Albus just interrupted him again.

“I know! I’ve…” He stopped. There was no way to truthfully end that sentence, because he hadn’t had anything to do with the books. He started again. “I mean, Scorpius has… He’s read them and if and when I need that knowledge then I trust him.”

Scorpius read books on everything so it had hardly been a surprise when he’d been so enthusiastic to read about this. Albus wasn’t even sure where he’d gotten the Muggle books but he had and he’d tried to share them with Albus after the Christmas holidays of their fifth year and Albus hadn’t wanted to know. Not then. But that was two years ago.

Harry nodded, happy to hear that they were at least being sensible and doing research. But then he realised Albus’ phrasing was conditional. If and when.

“So you two haven’t…” he said, unsure how of the best way to end that sentence.

Squirming uncomfortably in his seat, Albus wished he could just disapparate out of this conversation but he knew he’d have to come home again eventually so it didn’t seem worth a try.

“Merlin! Dad, no,” he protested. “Please don’t make me talk about this. _Please._ ”

Surely he had a right to keep things private. He didn’t want to have to explain that they hadn’t had ‘proper’ sex yet. At first they’d been too young and neither of them had felt ready, but now? They’d been dating more than two years and Albus knew it was something Scorpius was interested in, but he was so afraid he’d get it wrong or wouldn’t enjoy it, or that Scorpius wouldn’t enjoy it. He was happy with what they did do, he just didn’t want to detail it to his father.

“Okay, you’re right,” Harry conceded. Albus was seventeen, he could make his own informed choices. “It’s your business. Just be safe and sensible.” Two words he wasn’t sure he could accurately apply to his son and Scorpius after the problems with Delphi, but they’d both grown up. They were most likely to make good decisions than not. And even if they didn’t then they still couldn’t bring back the Dark Lord by having sex before they were really ready. Probably.  
“We are, Dad,” Albus promised.

Harry thought about ending it there and leaving Albus to his work, but something was niggling at his conscience. Ginny was going to be less than pleased when he admitted he hadn’t exactly gone into specifics with their son, but this was a more glaring omission from the talk.

“You said Scorpius has been reading… Haven’t you read those books too?” he asked, worried. If he was leaving Albus’ sex ed to books then it only counted if he had actually read them.

Albus’ cheeks went red. He didn’t want to talk about this with Scorpius, so he hardly wanted to discuss it with his father.  
“Not yet… I… I will, but not now,” he mumbled.  
“Why not?” Harry said, confused. Albus looked uncomfortable again, but more intrinsically. Like it was something that had been going on longer than the ten minutes this conversation had happening.  
“You said it was my business,” Albus whined, defensive.  
Harry held up his hands in defeat; Albus had a point. But this was a little different than allowing him his privacy.

“What you and Scorpius do or don’t do is your business, but if you don’t want to educate yourself then-”

Groaning and turning his face into a pillow to hide, Albus’ response was muffled against the fabric. This wasn’t a conversation he’d ever expected to have with his father.

“I will! But if I… I don’t want him to think I’m ready for anything and if I ask for the books then it might seem like I am and… I’m not,” he ended quietly.

Albus was pretty sure Scorpius still kept the books at the bottom of his trunk, stacked under third year potions textbooks he hadn’t looked at in years and a spare scarf. He’d considered reading the books himself when Scorpius wasn’t in the dormitory but he, or any of the other guys they shared a room with, could walk in at any moment and that situation sounded even worse than the one Albus currently found himself in. Apparently his father now had access to the same or similar books, but he absolutely wasn’t going to ask him for that information.  
“Scorpius is pressuring you?” Harry asked, confused. He didn’t know the boy well, exactly, but he couldn’t imagine him being pushy. Once they’d gotten back to their own time after catching Delphi Scorpius had thrown his arms around Albus and not let go for at least five minutes. Whilst Harry had never seen the dating thing coming between them, Scorpius had clearly been attached to Albus emotionally for some time.

Albus sat up quickly, shaking his head frantically. He didn’t want his dad getting the wrong idea.

“No! Absolutely not. Never,” he confirmed. Scorpius was infinitely patient and he couldn’t imagine a time when he’d feel pushed into something he didn’t want to do. “But we’re… taking it slow. And I like it like that,” he whispered, wishing it were possible to sink into the ground.

It wasn’t that they didn’t do _anything_ together, but school dorms were hardly the best place for intimacy or privacy so Albus never exactly felt confident trying things. And evidently home wasn’t the best place for that either. They only had a few more months left of school and then they could move out and get their own place, if they wanted - and Albus did. And a home they didn’t have to share with anyone, with no one to walk in on them, sounded like the perfect time to ask Scorpius exactly what he’d learnt from those books.

Harry patted Albus on the shoulder, trying to be sympathetic. It was tough to be young, he remembered that clearly, whether finding yourself meant fighting the Dark Lord or what Albus was going through.  
“Talk to him,” Harry suggested.

Albus just shook his head. Had his father not been listening? Talking to Scorpius about _all this_ was intimidating right now. Not yet.  
“Dad, I just said-” he complained.

“Not about the books,” Harry said kindly. “About this. About how you feel.”

Albus cocked his head, confused. A conversation based on a premise of ‘I don’t want to sleep with you yet but I love you and I love the idea of sleeping with you in the future please just hang on and wait for me a little’ sounded awful.  
“Why?” he asked, trying not to sound as miserable about the idea as he felt.  
“To see what page he’s on,” Harry said, before realising the wording needed some elaboration. “Not literally, I don’t mean the books. Just see how he feels too, what he wants. It’ll help you feel more comfortable with where you stand.”

Albus had to admit that sounded like a good idea. He didn’t necessarily _know_ Scorpius wanted anything else from him in the present, and it would be considerably less stressful to know he felt the same. And if he didn’t then at least Scorpius would understand what was going on with him and he wouldn’t have to feel guilty about saying no, or at least ‘not now’.

“So that’s it? No family meeting?” he asked, surprised that it was so simple. No laughter from James or questions from Lily. No demands for him to recount the exact trajectory of his relationship from the moment he’d kissed Scorpius on the cheek after a hug (and then kissed him on the lips. And then pulled him closer and… No, not the time. He could relive kissing his boyfriend later. Or apparate to Malfoy Manor and _actually_ kiss his boyfriend. Merlin being of age was fun).

“Did you want to have a family meeting about this?” Harry said, amused. When Albus shook his head frantically, he couldn’t help a laugh.  “I didn’t think so. Now, if your mum asks then yes, I followed the notes she gave me.”

Hopefully they could come to some kind of agreement. He wouldn’t ask Albus questions they both thought were a little invasive, trying to teach him things he knew next to nothing about, and in return Albus wouldn’t tell Ginny that he hadn’t quite done exactly as she’d told him to.  
“She gave you notes?” Albus smirked. It meant a lot that she cared and was accepting of everything, but notes were a little much.

“She did indeed,” Harry admitted, sighing. There had been a physical, bullet-pointed list and everything. He’d thrown it away, not wanting Albus to find it. Or, Merlin forbid, James.  
“And _did_ you follow them?” Albus prompted, pretty sure he knew the answer.  
“I did not,” Harry confirmed.

Sensing it was his cue to leave, he climbed to his feet and straightened up Albus’ duvet where he’d been sat.

“Thank you,” Albus said, as genuinely as he could. They’d been working to understand each other and it was clearly working. His dad finally got that he needed to keep some things to himself. And his relationship with Scorpius was one of those things.

Harry gave Albus a nod, heading for the door. Just when he had his hand on the doorknob he turned round and struggled to find the correct words for his thoughts.  
“Albus… Just so you know, I would have followed them if you were comfortable with it. I don’t think that…” he sighed. “Well I don’t think it’s wrong or… or unnatural or really that different from a man and a woman.”

The sentiment came out all wrong and he was close to apologising and rescinding it entirely when Albus smiled, hiding an amused laugh. If his dad had learnt he needed to keep some things to himself, he’d learnt that his dad wasn’t the best with wording things tactfully.

“Thanks,” he said. “Means a lot.” And it did.


End file.
